The Messed-Up Middle
What dream have you been sold on?
While we all want to get through life as unscathed as possible, different groups find it particularly hard. The obvious ones are the vulnerable due to war, crime, and family violence.
But recently my mind has returned to someone’s comment a few years ago about those of us who occupy the middle-class socio-economically. The person highlighted that when it came to government hand-outs, the middle class tends to be left out since they are deemed successful. Although I stand by those who need a leg up, her comment did leave me unsettled. Of course, I would like to offer my children more (as if there’s an end to it).
The creation of the middle class is a modern phenomenon thanks to industrialization, modernization, working women, and more recently globalization. Interestingly while the poor are extremely varied in presentation, from a rural farmer to an indentured worker, the middle class has been described as a boring, hollow, and flat lot of humanity. They have worked their way into a way of life that is comfortable though not luxurious, and for this, they must continually pay their dues. They have basic assets like a home and a car and can afford an annual vacation. Alas, these things in the present economic setup demand an allegiance from them to keep things stable. They are the large voter base that won’t upset things.